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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27759940">Crossroads</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeQuill/pseuds/CoffeeQuill'>CoffeeQuill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Healing (Star Wars), Found Family, Other, Planet Tython (Star Wars), The Force</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:53:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27759940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeQuill/pseuds/CoffeeQuill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They came to a small plateau that was made of a stone platform, a single pedestal in the center, and Din stared at it for a long moment. The child began to squirm in his arms and it drew Din away from any hesitant thoughts. He walked forward and placed the child on the pedestal, giving him a gentle caress, before he backed away.</p><p>The kid turned to stare at him with big eyes. “Batu?” he trilled, tilting his head to the side. “Baba?”</p><p>“Go on,” Din said. “You know what to do.”</p><p>---</p><p>Din follows the instructions given to him and places the future of their clan in the child's hands.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) &amp; Din Djarin, Din Djarin &amp; Grogu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>416</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Crossroads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keethus_Arts/gifts">Keethus_Arts</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by a conversation on Keethus' discord server. Obvious Chapter 13 spoilers ahead, but we wanted both a cute moment of helmet removal plus some angst upon reaching the Tython temple. I had to deliver.</p><p>Enjoy.</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://coffeequill.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br/><a href="https://twitter.com/coffee_quill">Twitter</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they stepped onto the temple grounds, Grogu had fallen quiet.</p><p>Soft babbles and coos disappeared in an instant. They faced a silence that was almost startling, the world seeming to have gone entirely still. Din looked around at an empty temple where not a single other soul lingered, this corner of the galaxy abandoned to a ghost town. He rubbed his hand over Grogu’s back, and while the little one leaned out to look, one hand gripped Din’s thumb tight.</p><p>“Feel like home?”</p><p>Grogu looked up at him, a seriousness in his eyes that Din had never thought a child could manage. Din swallowed. He thought of the kid’s childhood in a jedi temple and what Tano had said of <em> not many jedi left. </em>He wished he had asked a few more questions about the jedi, what Grogu may have witnessed when he was taken from the temple and hidden, but something had stayed him.</p><p>He also would not have wanted to get into detail of his survival in the Purge.</p><p>He began to walk. The temple was truly empty; while their destination was the top of the mountain, he took a few minutes to walk through the area and be sure that they were alone. All the rooms were covered in dust and little left out of place, as if the residents had simply gotten up and walked out with what they could carry. Din began to feel unsettled. As they came to the stairs that led up the mountain, Grogu whimpered, turning his face in towards Din’s chest.</p><p>“It’s alright,” Din murmured. He stroked his fingers over the baby’s chest and Grogu hid away in the crease of his arm. He began up the stairs at a slow pace, feeling the breeze, and Grogu settled in his grasp. He made his way up the stairs one at a time, a twisting sensation in his stomach.</p><p>This could be their goodbye. A true goodbye.</p><p>He thought he was ready.</p><p>The child was a familiar weight in his arms. Din was only just realizing now how he had gotten used to holding him; somehow Grogu belonged in his arms, held close and tight so Din could protect him. He thought of another jedi coming to claim him, and despite knowing that this would be completion of his mission, it also <em> hurt. </em>It almost hurt more than giving Grogu to Tano. It felt…</p><p>It would be the child’s choice to leave him.</p><p>Grogu cooed. He grasped small claws at Din’s cuirass to gain his attention and Din looked down. The baby tilted his head to the side and Din stroked an ear as it folded down. “I’m here,” he murmured. “This is all you, but… I’ll be here.”</p><p>The baby whined.</p><p>At the top of the mountain, the wind blew harsh. They came to a small plateau that was made of a stone platform, a single pedestal in the center, and Din stared at it for a long moment. The child began to squirm in his arms and it drew Din away from any hesitant thoughts. He walked forward and placed Grogu on the pedestal, giving him a gentle caress, before he backed away.</p><p>The kid turned to stare at him with big eyes. “Batu?” he trilled, tilting his head to the side. “Baba?”</p><p>“Go on,” Din said. “You know what to do.”</p><p>Grogu stared at him for a long time, but when Din turned away to look over the edge, he finally straightened. Din looked again and saw the child’s eyes shut. He was reminded of how Grogu had talked to Ahsoka and felt another wave of twisting in his stomach.</p><p>Around them, the wind began to die down, until they were left in complete tranquility.</p><p>Din stood as still as the air, watching Grogu as he tried to ignore the building anxiety. What was it like? He tried to imagine what it could possibly be like to connect with the Force, to be able to reach out to others of your kind through it, but each thought seemed just as impossible as he had once thought this to be. A year ago, he would have laughed at himself for even thinking of a situation such as this. He knew nothing of Jedi. He knew nothing of… Forces. This all sounded so impossible.</p><p>Minutes crept past. Grogu did not move. Din sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning his back against the short pillar beside the stairs to keep an eye on both the kid and the way up. He tried to keep his eyes open, tried to stay alert, and he shook himself awake multiple times. But as everything was so still and silent, he began to drift off.</p><p> </p><p>He was awoken by little nudges and whimpers in his ear.</p><p>Din jerked in place. He braced himself back against the pillar, hands flying out to grab at the ground, and his gaze dropped down to his hip. Grogu stood beside him, looking up at him with big eyes and a worried gaze. He let out another whine, trying to climb up into Din’s lap.</p><p>“Kid. Uh — Grogu.”</p><p>Din lifted him up and the kid fell into his lap, quick to right himself. He planted his hands against Din’s cuirass and looked up at him, babbling again. Din stared at him in confusion, brows furrowed, and wrapped both hands around him.</p><p>“Are you… done?”</p><p>Grogu looked up at him, then rested his head against Din as though giving in to sleep. Din watched in silence, unsure of what to do, and instead began to stroke the child’s back. “Is someone coming?” he whispered, holding back any emotion from his voice.</p><p>“Batu.”</p><p>“I can’t understand you, kid.”</p><p>“Bat-u!”</p><p>Grogu reached up for him. Din drew in a breath and lifted the kid, who immediately grabbed for his helmet and leaned them together. For a moment, Din couldn’t breathe. Grogu’s eyes fell shut and Din rubbed his back with two fingers, a sensation of <em> peace </em> overcoming him in such powerful waves that he almost deflated on the spot. “... <em> Ad’ika,” </em>he whispered, breath trembling. “Are you… me?”</p><p>“Baba,” Grogu mumbled, barely a sound.</p><p>“You want to stay with me.”</p><p>His heart was almost going to burst in his chest.</p><p>From below came voices.</p><p>Both heads swiveled towards the sound and Din sat up straight, clutching Grogu to his chest. He braced a foot against a lower step, then shifted forward onto his feet in a crouch. Grogu whimpered and Din’s hand shot to his holster as the modulated voices reached them. “Quiet,” he whispered, and Grogu made the smallest of whines before quieting down.</p><p>Two scout troopers began to edge around the bend of the stairs, slow and creeping but their armor stood out against the grey and green of the mountain stairs. Din’s mouth went dry. He eased back behind the pillar and set the child down beside the short wall, hiding him away, then drew his pistol. The scouts came into better view, their speech marred by the wind below.</p><p>Din looked at the child, then the scouts, and fired off two shots.</p><p>The scouts barely got to look before they collapsed backwards with a scream. They didn’t fall far, hitting the bend and piling against the short wall. Din held his blaster up, scanning the area, then slowly moved to his feet. He reached down for his scope and lifted it, peering through at what he could see of the ground below.</p><p>His chest tightened at the sight of groups of stormtroopers running onto the temple grounds.</p><p>Din reached back and snatched the child back into his arms. <em> Shit. </em>He counted at least twenty just from a glance but the view from this high was not complete unless he ventured further down the stairs. He took a shaky breath and began to walk down, blaster held high and Grogu tucked against his side. No more scouts came up. Din silently cursed himself for leaving the jetpack behind, for being too sure of their safety.</p><p>“Babuh,” Grogu whispered.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>Overhead, a hum came.</p><p>Din froze in place. Far beyond in the sky, a TIE fighter approached, a black dot moving fast through the clouds. He began slowly back up the stairs, eyes fixed to the craft, before getting back to the top platform. He could see where the Crest was parked from here, but his stomach fell further as he saw the troopers swarming it.</p><p>Din looked around. There was nowhere to hide from a ship, and no easy way down that wasn’t the staircase leading straight into the belly of the beast. He strode to the opposite edge of the platform, looking down at a near straight fall down a cliff face that ended in a river.</p><p>The TIE was getting louder. Grogu whimpered in his arms. Din looked towards the approaching ship with a pounding heart — they had to get off the mountain. He glanced at his vambrace. He reached down and settled the baby into the bag at his hip, then turned and shot out his whipcord. It wrapped around the nearby pedestal several times before locking on its own length. Din backed up towards the edge of the platform, one hand grasping the kid.</p><p>“Here we go,” he said.</p><p>He threw them back off the cliff.</p><p> </p><p>“You have him.”</p><p>Din panted. The blood of stormtroopers splattered against his armor, dripping down the beskar. Bodies lined the floor, some with burning blaster holes while a few were sliced through.</p><p>Gideon stood across the courtyard. He hadn’t brought many troopers, not as many as Din had feared, but he was out of almost everything. No charges. No amban cartridges. His whipcord was out. Flamethrower nearly empty.</p><p>Warm blood was seeping through his suit.</p><p>There was a loud crackling sound and Din sucked in a breath at the sight of… another laser sword. Somehow, he found himself staring at the exact opposite of what Tano had used. Where her swords had been a pure white, what Gideon held was flat, black, with white light chasing the edges as it moved. Din took deep breaths. He lifted his blaster to aim it.</p><p>Grogu was settled in the bag at his hip. He let out a distressed whine.</p><p>“He’s mine,” Din said.</p><p>Gideon stared at him, then chuckled, a low sound as a smile spread across his face. “Yours.” He began to walk closer and Din clenched his jaw, focusing his aim at the center of Gideon’s chest. “You don’t understand what it <em> is. </em> It cannot be <em> yours.” </em></p><p><em> “He </em> is a jedi,” Din growled. Gideon stopped, then, looking at him. “Yes, I know what he is. I know you want his blood. His… M-count. I <em> know.” </em></p><p>Gideon’s eyes narrowed and he only smiled a second time. “You know these words, but I <em> assure </em> you, Din Djarin, that you know <em> nothing </em>that is important here. If you truly understood, you would not keep the asset from me.”</p><p>He walked closer still. Din lifted his blaster higher. “That’s close enough,” he snapped. “Drop the sword.”</p><p>“And you’ll spare my life?” Gideon asked, mockery dripping from his voice. “Ever the honorable Mandalorian?”</p><p>“No.” Grogu cooed behind him and Din nudged the bag further back. “If I let you walk away again, you’ll just come back.”</p><p>“Now, he’s learning.”</p><p>“Drop. The sword.”</p><p>“Treat the weapon of the <em>Mand’alor</em> with such disrespect?”</p><p>Din stared at him. “What?”</p><p>Gideon chuckled. “Do you not know your own <em> history?” </em> He continued to walk closer, twirling the sword in a flashing arc. “The Darksaber is the birthright of the Mandalorians. It is the <em>Mand’alor</em> only who wields it. Your <em> sole ruler.” </em></p><p>Din didn’t move.</p><p>“Are you not <em> sworn </em>to follow the one who holds it?” Gideon wore a smirk and held the sword out to the side. “Kneel for your Mand’alor.”</p><p>Din set his jaw. He lifted his blaster again. “I’ve never even heard of that thing,” he hissed. “I won’t <em> kneel </em>for it.”</p><p>He squeezed the trigger and fired the shot. Gideon’s smirk dropped and he threw himself to the side, lifting the sword to deflect the shot away. It buried it self into the wall and Din fired another, barely missing before Gideon lunged in with a hiss. He swung the sword down in an arc and Din threw his vambraces up in an X to block.</p><p>He gritted his teeth. The sword hissed as it bit into the beskar, vibrating through the metal. Grogu shrieked, a sound that forced its way through the sounds of battle, and Din was forced back as Gideon drove against him. He threw his forearms up in block after block, thrown off when the strikes came from the sides, heart pounding and blood roaring in his ears—</p><p>His balance stumbled. He was exhausted.</p><p>
  <em> Fall. </em>
</p><p>The voice spoke in his thoughts. In an instant, he dropped, legs giving out.</p><p>The Darksaber swung hard across where his throat had been and Din panted, a shock running through him at the thought of that near miss. He didn’t allow himself to hesitate, pushing off the ground, and he threw himself forward. One hand grabbed Gideon’s wrist, shoving it down as a fist slammed across the Moff’s face. Gideon stumbled back and Din grabbed the front of his robes before slamming his knee into his stomach. He reached back and pulled the spear off his back.</p><p>The Darksaber came down again and slammed into the spear’s shaft. For a moment they stood there, and Gideon scowled as Din grinned, throwing the sword off before twirling the spear back into his grip. The baby giggled. </p><p>Gideon slashed at him, expression twisting further and further with anger, until Din was fending off a flurry of attacks. He set his feet and shoved back another swing before kicking forward. His heel slammed into Gideon’s front and he drew back the spear, thrusting it towards Gideon’s chest—</p><p>Gideon sidestepped and grabbed hold of the spear, jerking Din forward.</p><p>Din stumbled with a gasp. His head was thrown back as an elbow struck across his helmet and Gideon ripped the spear from his hands, throwing it aside. It clattered against the ground. Din threw out a punch and dove towards him, sending them both to the ground. Both groaned, the kid squeaked, Din’s fist crossed Gideon’s jaw—</p><p>Gideon let out a pained hiss, then twisted his grip and the lightsaber pressed against Din.</p><p>In under a second, agonizing <em> fire </em> bit into him. The scream tore from his throat and he <em> threw </em>himself away from Gideon, rolling over with hands barely catching himself before he could roll on top of the kid. Grogu wailed from the bag and Din’s arms trembled, panting, a hand daring to touch back at where it had made contact. He felt the cauterized skin and immediately jerked his hand away. It was still sizzling, a solid line where his layers had burned.</p><p>Gideon was up. He swung a kick into Din’s side and Din grunted as he was shoved over onto his back. A foot stopped him from rolling onto the burn. He grabbed Grogu into his arms and held him tight, his heart pounding, and he stared at the end of the Darksaber as it came inches from his visor.</p><p>“A brave attempt.” Gideon smiled. There was a twinge of pain in his expression. “But you’ll be giving me the creature now.”</p><p>“Never,” Din hissed.</p><p>“How <em> skilled </em>is a Mandalorian if they have no hands for their weapons?” Gideon smirked. The Darksaber shifted down to hovering just above his throat and Din’s heart jumped. He swallowed. “If they have no head?”</p><p>Din didn’t move. He trembled all over. Grogu squirmed in his arms and Din held him tighter. His eyes darted all over, but he was… out. His blaster was fallen somewhere, his spear and rifle gone, charges spent. The pain in his back was unbearable. His vision…</p><p>A hand reached for the baby, grasping his robes. “No,” Din gasped, reaching for him. “No—”</p><p>The Darksaber hissed as it burned his cape’s fabric and he jerked back. Grogu <em> screamed, </em>a shrill sound that made Gideon scowl as he held the kid by the scruff of his robes. “Quiet,” he snapped, but his attention turned back to Din. “... Our time together is done, now.”</p><p>The sword disappeared back into its handle. Gideon turned away, his cape flowing with the movement, and he began to walk away. Din wrenched himself over onto his front, then willed his body to get up. “Kid,” he called, voice hoarse. <em> “No. </em>Grogu!”</p><p>A voice cried back.</p><p>Din saw red.</p><p>He didn’t remember having energy. But he forced himself to his feet and stumbled forward. His heart pounded in his ears.</p><p>
  <em> “Hey—“ </em>
</p><p>Gideon turned just as Din threw his weight against him. They crashed to the ground together with shouts, Grogu shrieked as he tumbled to the ground, Din didn’t register it. His blood was hot as he straddled Gideon’s waist and slammed one fist into his jaw. One punch came after another. Gideon grabbed at his shoulders, trying to push him back.</p><p>Din’s glove became bloody.</p><p>He didn’t know when Gideon stopped moving. At some point, he was too exhausted to continue, and he just sat back as he panted. Gideon still did not move.</p><p>Din took deep breaths.</p><p>He slumped onto the ground.</p><p>He laid halfway on his side, his body throbbing. Blood continued to seep down his suit; it had started at his shoulder and now stained the fabric at his hips.  The entire temple fell still, silent, and the wind blew above him. His eyes fell shut.</p><p>“Bah!”</p><p>Din forced his eyes open again. “Kid,” he croaked. Grogu whimpered, appearing from around Gideon’s body, and for a moment they stared at each other.</p><p>“Batu.”</p><p>Then the child took off towards Din at a run. </p><p>Din pushed himself up. Grogu’s face was twisted with fear, eyes big and afraid, and no part of Din hesitated. He reached for his helmet and pulled it off, face exposed to the cool air. Grogu slowed just feet away, staring up at him, almost entranced by what he was seeing—</p><p>“Still me,” Din said.</p><p>Grogu stared for a moment longer. He walked forward again, lifting his arms, and Din took a deep breath before lifting the child into his arms. The baby made a soft sound before grabbing at Din’s shoulder to snuggle in. Din hissed, feeling the wound beneath. The kid froze and leaned back.</p><p>He reached up and planted two hands against Din’s shoulder, eyes falling shut. “No,” Din said, and moved him away. “No. Gr… Grogu. No.”</p><p>The child huffed and smacked his hand against Din’s. Din stared at him, then slowly returned him to his shoulder. “Not a lot,” he said as Grogu placed his small palms against Din again.</p><p>A sensation of cool relief began to fill him. Din started to protest again, but the feeling of <em> something </em>moving through his body, bringing healing in waves with it, shut him up. Grogu’s eyes were shut in concentration and once the feeling began to lessen he found himself drained of every bit of energy. He fought to stay upright, and when the baby slumped with exhaustion, Din held him close.</p><p>“Grogu.”</p><p>The kid looked up. His eyelids were heavy but he cooed and reached up a hand to touch Din’s face. Small claws touched along his jaw and Din almost jumped at the sensation before relaxing. The contact was… nice. Grogu made another quiet coo.</p><p>“It’s me, then,” Din whispered. He wasn’t sure if it was to the kid or himself. Grogu was choosing… <em> him. </em>Over the jedi. Over his own kind.</p><p>Grogu turned and snuggled his face in beneath Din’s jaw, claws hooking in the fabric of his suit. He cooed softly, his breathing evened out. Din leaned forward, clutching the child in against his chest, and he swallowed.</p><p><em> “Ni kyr'tayli gai sa'ad,” </em> he whispered. <em> “Grogu. Ner ad.” </em></p><p>The baby slept.</p><p>Din pressed a soft kiss between his ears. He grabbed his helmet, forced himself to his feet, and looked down at Gideon’s body. He took a long, deep breath, and then looked at the Darksaber where it laid beside him. He slipped the helmet back on, the seal locking in place, before he took the sword. It was heavier than he’d thought it would be. Carefully, he held it away from him, and started back towards the ship.</p><p>Whatever the sword meant to Mandalorians, he was sure Bo-Katan would know something about it.</p><p>Grogu’s hand tightened on his cape. Din rubbed his thumb over his back.</p><p>But first, his son took priority.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mando'a<br/>Ni kyr'tayli gai sa'ad - I know your name as my child. (Adoption vow)<br/>Ner ad - my son</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://coffeequill.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br/><a href="https://twitter.com/coffee_quill">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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